Toilet-powder flask.



N0. 771,615. PATENTED OCT. 4, 1904.

J. G. S. DEY. I TOILET POWDER PLASK.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 29.1904. N0 MODEL UNITED STATES Patented October 4, 1904.

JAMES G. S. DEY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

TOILET-POWDER FLASK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,615, dated October 4, 1904.

Application filed March 29, 1904.

To all whom, it 777/1112] concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs G. S. DEY, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Toilet-Powder Flasks, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensing devices, and refers more particularly to a hand-flask for dispensing toilet powders and similar material in small limited quantities.

Theobject of this invention is to provide a convenient hand-flask which is adapted to carry a limited quantity of toilet powder, such as tooth-powder, and is provided with a suitable discharge-opening and a manuallyoperated cut-01f, whereby a limited quantity of the powder may be deposited onto a brush or put into a suitable receptacle preparatory to its application.

Other more specific objects and uses will appear in the following description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a toilet-powder flask embodying the features of my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 2 2, Fig. 1, and 3 3, Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sectional views similar to Fig. 3 of the upper portion of slightly-modified forms of flasks and cut-off devices.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

These flasks are usually made of thin sheet metal of suitable size and form to be carried in an ordinary grip or dress-suit case, and is' provided with a suitable flat base capable of supporting the flask in an upright position upon a chifl'onnier or other furniture of the boudoir.

In Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, I have shown a metal flask 1, having an interior reservoir 2 for receiving the powder and a suitable flat base 3, upon which the flask is adapted to rest when not in use, said base being provided with an inlet-opening 4, which is normally closed by a suitable screw-cap 5, so that by removing the cap the supply of powder may Serial No. 200,638. (No model.)

be replenished when desired. The opposite end 6 of the flask is preferably reduced in size and is provided with a cylindrical head 7 which communicates at its inner side through an opening 8 with the interior chamber 2, and its outer wall or side is formed with a comparatively small discharge-opening 9.

A cylindrical plunger or cut-off device 10 is movable in the cylinder 7 against the action of a suitable spring 11 and is provided with an aperture 12, which is movable into and out of registration with the aperture 9, but is normally held out of registration with the aperture 9 by the spring 11. The plunger 10 is movable in an opening 13 in one of the end walls of the cylinder 7 and has a close sliding fit with the interior of said cylinder, so that when it 'is in its normal or extreme outward position, as held by the spring 11, the upper wall of the plunger projects across the opening 9 and forms a closure therefor; but as soon as the plunger is pressed inwardly by the engagement of the thumb or finger with its outer head the aperture 12 is brought into registration with the aperture 9, whereupon the flask is brought to an inverted position to permit the powder to gravitate through the alined openings 12 and 9 in such quantity as may be desired. This cut-ofl' or plunger 10 is also provided with a guide rod or stem 14:, which projects through an aperture 15 in the opposite end wall of the cylinder, the outer end of said rod or stem 14 being provided with a stop-shoulder 16 for limiting the out- Ward movement of the plunger by the action of the spring 11. The lower wall of the inner hollow portion of the plunger is somewhat shorter than the upper wall and forms a suitable abutment or shoulder 17 for the free end of the spring 11, the opposite end of said spring being secured by suitable fastening means, as screws 18, to one of the side walls of the flask. By cutting away the in ner lower side of the plunger a suitable slot is formed therein to receive the end of the spring 11, and the plunger or cut-off 10 is held from rotary movement in the cylinder 7 by the engagement of its sides with the opposite edges of the spring, so that the aperture 12 moves in a direct line into and out of reg istration with the aperture 9 as the plunger or cut-ofl' 10 is reciprocated.

The opposite walls of the flask at the opposite ends of the cylinder 7 are usually curved in the direction of the axis of the cylinder or rather in the direction of movement of the plunger from its normal position, and the axis of the cylinder is therefore disposed at an angle with the base 3, and the cylinder inclines downwardly and forwardly when the flask is resting upon its base, the object of this being to facilitate the inversion of the flask by hand so as to permit the alined openings 12 and 9 to be conveniently brought to the lower side of the flask when discharging the powder.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the cylinder 7 as provided with end heads and 21, having substantially central guide-openings 22 and 23, in which is guided a reciprocating plunger 24. A gate or closure 25 is secured at 26 to the central portion of the rod or stem 24 and normally closes the outlet-opening 9 in the cylinder. This plunger is held in its normal position by a spring 26, having one end engaged with a head 27 on the plunger at the outside of the case, and its other end is secured by suitable fastening means, as screws 29, to the adjacent Wall of the flask 1, the opposite end of said plunger being provided with a stopshoulder 30 to limit the outward movement of the plunger by the action of the spring 26. This plunger 24 is operated by the thumb or finger engaging the head 27, whereby the plunger is moved endwise against the action of the spring 26 and the closure 25 is forced out of alinement or registration with the aperture 9, thus permitting the discharge of the powder from the interior of the flask through said aperture.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a further modification of cut-off, in which the flask 1 is provided with a cylinder-head 31, having an outletopening 32, and upon the outer face of this cylinder-head is closely fitted a cylindrical cut-off 33, having an aperture 34, which is movable into and out of registration with the aperture 32. The cylinder cut-ofl' 33 is held in its normal position with the apertures 32 and 34 out of alinement by a suitable spring 35, having one end engaged with the head 36 of the cut-off 33 and its other end secured by suitable fastening means, as screws 37 to the adjacent side of the flask 1. In order to accommodate this cylindrical cut-ofl' 33 to the cylinder-head 31, the lower side of the cut-off 33 is cut away for forming a lengthwise slot 38, the side walls of which engage the outer side faces of the flask and prevent rotation of the cut-off, said cut-off 33 being provided with a suitable stop-shoulder 39, which opposes the action of the spring when the cut-off is in its normal position.

The operation of my invention will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it will be noted that considerable change may be made in the detail construction and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit of this invention. Therefore I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A toilet-powder hand-flask having a cylindrical head inclining axially at an angle with its bottom and provided with a dischargeopening, the opposite sides of the head converging toward the opening to concentrate the powder at said opening when the flask is inverted, and a sliding cut-off movable along the inclined head to open and close its discharge-opening.

2. A toilet-powder hand-flask having a substantially flat bottom and a head inclining axially and rounding transversely of the incline, said head having an outlet in its transverse apex between its ends, and a sliding cut-off movable along and against the head to open and close the outlet.

3. A toilet-powder hand-flask comprising a hollow body having a substantially flat supporting-base and a cylindrical head inclined at an angle to the base, the head having an outlet in its upper side, a sliding closure movable down the inclined head to open the outlet, and a spring operating to force the closure up the incline to close the outlet.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of March, 1904.

JAMES G. S. DEY.

Witnesses:

MYRoN HAYDEN, JOHN F. HAYDEN. 

